EMI going DRM-free

EMI Music just announced in conjunction with Steve Jobs that they're going DRM-free with their online music sales. Not only that, but they're offering higher bit rates too! It sounds like they're offering various bit rates that you can choose from up to CD quality, although that part isn't clear yet. The presentation is still in progress in London.

Single DRM-free songs at higher bit rates will be $1.29 on iTunes. Full album prices will stay the same. Now that's really, really cool. Kudos to EMI on this.

Yes, if you're talking about technological restrictions. The legal restrictions on sharing still apply, but there's no software mechanism to stop you.

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That's unfortunate - that they think people have the values not to illegally exploit the lack of protection. People aren't that good. Prices will just continue to rise and companies will have to continue trying different protections and regulations as long as there's nothing protecting people from their own lack of morality

That's unfortunate - that they think people have the values not to illegally exploit the lack of protection. People aren't that good. Prices will just continue to rise and companies will have to continue trying different protections and regulations as long as there's nothing protecting people from their own lack of morality

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Prices will continue to rise as companies try different DRM based protection because everyone will stop buying from those companies. Perhaps we should have random police inspections to make sure people aren't being immoral with their music.

That's unfortunate - that they think people have the values not to illegally exploit the lack of protection. People aren't that good. Prices will just continue to rise and companies will have to continue trying different protections and regulations as long as there's nothing protecting people from their own lack of morality

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People who want to pirate music over the Internet are already doing it. It's all out there, ripped from CDs, with no technological restrictions on it. The lawsuits don't seem to be reducing the problem. The only people who are going to buy MP3s over the Internet are people who want to own them legally. Those people are very unlikely to turn around and start pirating the music they went out of their way to pay for. On the other hand, DRM technology prevents several perfectly legal uses for legitimately purchased music. Many people won't buy a crippled product, and would even turn to piracy as an alternative or a protest. Even if they don't intend to use it in a way that DRM would prevent, there's a feeling of "Big Brother" about it that turns a lot of people off, so they avoid it. Therefore, as ironic as it may be, ending DRM protection may actually decrease piracy. EMI is wise to finally realize this.